I have a soft corner for red cabbage :) It has a beautiful colour and makes for great tasting crunchy salad. However I have wondered how to make this a part of the main meal without putting off the rest of the family. Until I hit on this idea for a pulav ....read on!
Before you begin:
Half red cabbage, thinly sliced and washed
1 1/2 cup basmati rice
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 inch ginger, thinly sliced
2 tbsp mango chutney (sweet sour taste)
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp each Jeera & Sauf (fennel) for tadka
A handful of cashewnuts, lightly roasted
Oil for tadka
Salt to taste
Good to know:
- The mango chutney gives the pulav a sweet / sour taste and offsets the mild bitterness in the red cabbage. I happened to have the chutney in my cupboard at the time :)
- Adding olive oil and a salt to the water while boiling rice ensures the grains stay separate and taste a lot nicer.
- Use a stir fry pan to get crispy cooked cabbage.
Making the pulav:
Boil the rice until it is cooked but firm, drain and spread out on a plate to cool.
Roughly mix the Jeera and Sauf using a pestle and mortar to break up their skins. Heat the oil in a stir fry pan on high heat. Add the Jeera and Sauf; stir for a few seconds. Add the red onion and ginger; saute for 2 minutes or so. Add in the sliced cabbage, mango chutney, coriander powder, cinnamon powder and salt. Remember the gas is on high and you are using a stir fry pan, therefore stir briskly to avoid burning. Add some water if required. Continue until the cabbage is cooked but crisp. Now turn down the heat and add in the boiled rice. Toss well. Switch off the gas and season with roasted cashewnuts. Serve hot.